Tips For Moving To College Or University

Preparing for your first move to college or university can be a stressful and overwhelming experience, to say the least. There are many uncertainties that face first-time students. Finding where your classes are, where your room is, what you should pack; as well as the uncertainty of meeting your peers.

Fortunately for you, we have experienced these stresses. Having moved many first-year post-secondary students, our experts know what to expect. To help you, they’ve provided some tips and advice on how to make sure that you’re fully prepared for your big move.

College Moving Tips

A Month To Three Weeks Out

Although it may seem far away, your move is just around the corner. Start planning ahead by establishing when your schools move in times will be. Schools will often send out a brochure during the middle of the summer to let you know about move-in times, the proper procedure for moving in your stuff, as well as suggested items that you can and cannot bring.

Hold onto this list of items as it will be a good reference as you pack up over the next few weeks.

Tip: When move-in day comes around, plan to give yourself a little extra time. The high volume of people that will be moving in that day can be overwhelming, so make sure to give yourself lots of time to make sure that your move is a smooth one.

Additional Tip: If you’re planning to use a mover for your move back to school, we recommend booking at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the proposed move-in date to secure the time that you want.

Two Weeks To The Move In Date

Get To Know Your Roommate

It’s very likely that you’re going to be moving in with someone else while you go to school, so take the time before move-in day to get to know your roommate if you can. Reach out to them on social media or contact them via. phone or email if that information has been given to you. Try to organize a day where you can grab a lunch, a drink, or bond over a similar interest. Come move in day, you will have already made a friend and it won’t feel like you’re moving in with a stranger.

Create A Checklist

When you meet up with your roommate, take some time to create a checklist of items that you will need in your place. Dorms tend to be very tight spaces with limited storage options, so it doesn’t really make any sense to double up on items. Aim to stick to that list as closely as you can.

Assemble A ‘Move-In’ Kit

Assemble a kit of items that you will need to access during the first few days/week of moving in. As a teen, you may not think that assembling a kit like this is necessary, but you will be thanking yourself come move-in day.

Keep Similar Items in the Same BoxThis will help you when unpacking. You’ll be able to prioritize which items are needed most.

Rule of thumb: The heavier the item, the smaller the box. Overpacking can lead to boxes breaking open, and make it harder to carry when they are too heavy.

Layout Of The Campus And Close By Stores

If you can, learn the layout of the campus before move-in day. You can start planning out what the best route is for moving your items in and it will give you a good idea of where your classes will be.

It’s also a great idea to try and find out where your closest grocery store, pharmacy and school supplies store may be. These spots will be essential to you over the semester, so aim to get to know them early on.

Bring Tools

A toolkit with a basic hammer, screwdrivers, and pliers can be a handy thing on move-in day. You may need to bunk the beds, raise or lower mattresses, or deal with minor repairs.

After You’ve Moved In

During your move in, it can be difficult to determine where to put what. Fortunately, we have some ideas that you can use to help organize your dorm.

For other great tips on moving, check out our packing and moving tips section of our site.